A fire broke out in TriNoma Mall in Quezon City, on Monday afternoon.
Anne Lu

A fire broke out in TriNoma Mall on Monday afternoon. The incident affected the normal operations of the mall and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) North Avenue station in Quezon City.

Fire hits TriNoma

According to the Quezon City Fire District, the fire started at 2:22 pm and was raised to the second alarm as of 2:34 pm. ABS-CBN News reported FO1 Joan de Luna of the Tandang Sora fire substation as saying the fire reportedly broke out at an appliance warehouse near an MRT station. TriNoma echoed the statement saying the fire started in a warehouse inside the Landmark building. Around 20 fire trucks were sent to respond to the fire.

According to the Quezon City Fire District, the fire started at 2:22 pm and was raised to second alarm as of 2:34 pm.
Anne Lu

The new wing of the Landmark Department Store and TriNoma North Avenue wing have been evacuated to ensure the safety of customers and employees. Meanwhile, the MRT3 management said train operations were not affected by the fire. However, an eyewitness claimed MRT passengers were not allowed to enter the passageway from MRT to TriNoma.

The new wing of the Landmark Deparment Store and TriNoma North Avenue wing have been evacuated to ensure the safety of customers and employees.
Anne Lu

Eyewitness tells account of the incident

Anne Lu, an eyewitness who happens to be in the mall during the incident, recalled that establishments were already closing at about 3:30 pm. At that time, she remembers being told the fire was already contained and that Ayala management was allegedly only taking precautions for possible gas leaks.

“We were eating at about 2:30 pm. The establishment (we were in) is located on the opposite side of the mall from Landmark, but it's also outside that's why there was a faint smoke smell. Then we went to the first floor to have a haircut,” Lu said in a statement sent to International Business Times Philippines.

The fire was declared out at 6:33 pm. The cause and the amount of damage the fire caused are yet to be determined.
Anne Lu

“About 3:30, shops were already closing because we were told there was a fire in Landmark earlier, then already contained. The Ayala management was allegedly just taking precautions because there might be a gas leak following the fire,” she recalled.

“My friend's hair was still being cut so we couldn't leave yet, but the mall around 4 pm was almost empty. So by 4:30 pm, we were able to leave. It was smoggy and the smoke smell was pronounced. There were fire trucks already there and one more coming. We didn't see the fire but the smoke was coming from the Landmark side,” she finished.

TriNoma fire casualties

Quezon City Bureau of Fire Protection (QCBFP) Fire Marshal Senior Supt. Manuel M. Manuel reported they rescued an aircon technician named Anthony Molina, who was trapped inside the building. Four others, including two firemen and two fire volunteers, were given first aid due to difficulty in breathing.

The fire was declared out at 6:33 pm. The cause and the amount of damage the fire caused are yet to be determined.

Here are some of the updates and other photos taken during the fire:

What do you think of the fire that struck TriNoma mall? Let us know in the comments section below.

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